park – Ink, Yarn & Beer

Volleyball Court in the Library Park

Every now and again a small group of us meets at the park behind the library in town. Usually it is on a Monday, and I have been able to make it to the last two after missing so many it has been months. It’s a very nice group of people, from pencil artists to painters, and we are led by our wonderful teacher, Steve. We are usually there for a couple of hours in the morning.

The park itself is a bit small, but there are picnic tables, party areas, benches, playgrounds, and volleyball courts. Add a pond and ducks and a lot of trees, and it adds up to a very pleasant place to be. Today, in keeping with my more direct approach to painting, I brought along the Vision paper so I would be forced to work without a lot of messing around. The point of this study was to preserve the white – or add white as needed – to the volleyball net. The rest was whatever! Of course, more direct painting was the other, secondary goal.

Watercolor, 9 x 12 Vision watercolor paper, 140# CP.

Little Creek – Watercolor

From a photo of a nearby creek in a local park. Not a great watercolor but perhaps a bit more solid than the ones I have done earlier this week. The fact is, once you don’t make painting a daily practice and let it slide by, you really need to get warmed up to do it yet again! I’ve been far too busy with other things, and it shows . . .

Little Creek – Photograph

A bit of nature in the land of suburbia.

Actually, this is just one part of a creek which runs throughout my neighborhood and into the open space a few miles away. Rain water washes into the creek from gutters, and you can find breeding ducks and frogs in its water. I have even seen an egret there. After our rains, we have a fair bit of water in it, and I enjoy walking a few blocks to the park, just to hear its trickle and see kids and dogs having a bit of a riot.

Along the Way

It’s always fun to go through your library of photos. Nearly every time I find something I hadn’t considered before. Here, a few bright flowers from the local botanical garden – perfect for brightening the gloom of winter rains.

Summer on Mt. Diablo

The end of summer and the brilliant greens of summer fade to brown and beige . . .

Here, I just wanted to make a light painting with simple washes. Usually I go for really intense colors, and it took a bit of work to get the sky light, as well as keep the colors of the distant mountains and grasses paler than my normal approach. The sky was easiest as I just blotted up my colors with tissue and used a lightly damp brush.

I’m rather pleased with the results, I must say.